The Great Escape
by Hiyokoi1864
Summary: Her orders were to take him out and kill him. But she can't do it, not after he practically saved her life. In the heat of a fight, he says he's not leaving without her. They don't even know each others name, but God knows they'll escape. (I'm counting this as an AU. MinaKushi) Rating T/ M Romance Hurt/ Comfort/ Suspense.


Kushina remained perked on the tree branch, watching the fights down below from the shadows. Reports of a strange flicker of light throughout the area has been coming in like loads since late last night, and her and her team were sent out. Many hours into their travel, they were attacked. She couldn't pin point on who and/ or what, but they were losing men rapidly. Not wasting a breath, she went to the tree tops. Holding her knife out in hand, she pressed her back harder against the bark of the tree as she scoped the area, trying her best to ignore the gargles of blood as men fell to the ground; a deep gaping hole in their necks.

Catching the flash of yellow trace through her line of vision, she swallowed. Her violet hues desperately scanned the fields and trees, trying to find the source. Her attention was strung out as a large and radiated explosion erupted to the west of her, making her mouth go agape. Gritting her teeth and gripping the handle of her weapon, she looked down below to the battles. Things and people are dying too quickly, she can't keep up. What is going on?

Faster than her heart can beat, at the speed of light, something was placed two meters from her before it exploded, sending her flying from her spot. Coughing, she opened her squinted eyes, watching as the tree got engulfed in flames and got further away from her reach as she fell. Knife slipping from her fingers, she squeezed her eyes shut and mentally and physically prepared herself for the harsh impact of her landing.

Then she felt things slow down.

The feeling of her frame being cradled and hands under her knees and back made her look up, coming face to face with a man. Her eyes widen, close to the size of a plate. She does not recognize this male. With his striking spiked blonde locks and crystal hues, she'd most definitely remember someone like him from appearance wise. They locked eyes with each other, both holding a different surprise. And before she could swim deeper into the blue depths he obtains, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed as they snapped to the east of their direction. Kushina let out a yelp when he shifted her and tossed her aside, making her collide into another tree. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm her shooting nerves down as the shock of the blow settled down on her spin.

Looking up, she almost wished she didn't. A gasp escaped her throat as she watched the remaining members of her team pin the blonde male down, tying his hands tightly behind his back. She almost wanted to do something; to help him. But the remembrance of why her and her men were sent out her flooded her mind, making her push the thoughts aside. Walking over to the small group surrounding the man, she pressed her mouth in a thin line.

"Do you think he's the reason for all the reports?" An older man asked, giving her a side glance. She shrugged, backing out of her step and walking a few yards away, picking her knife up from the ground and slipping it in her pouch. "Identify yourself!" He yelled, pressing his shoe to the man's shoulder blade, "Or should we call you _Flashy?_" He chuckled.

The questioned man grinned, using his strength to sit up, "That's fine with me." He grunted as he was forcibly shoved back to the gravel. Kushina frowned, feeling she owes this man. Didn't he practically save her life? Mentally shaking herself, she gestured the men out, going to head back to the base.

"Move it." Another man hissed, pushing the bonded male forward. Kushina stepped aside and allowed them to walk ahead, eyes lingering on the blonde, his lingering back. She narrowed hers in question as she walked at a pace behind all of them, wondering why he did it. Why would he save if they're enemies? He attacked and killed countless of men before her in record time. How did he do that? _Who_ is this man?

"What's your name?" She asked as she walked behind him, crossing her arms over her chest. The man looked over his shoulder and gave her a look.

"It's _Flashy._" He answered, making many of the others around them snicker. Kushina glared at him, not liking the answer she had received, "Koodos." He chirped, not a single care that he's in the situation he's in now; that he practically just killed a medium sized army. When he looked away, she frowned. Everything he has done, his sentence that will be given by their commander may not be a soft one.

* * *

"Death." She knew it. At the single word their leader spoke, it made her chest jolt uncomfortably. "Kushina, take him away." Looking back up, she locked hues with the elder man as he took his seat, "Take him far away from here. And kill him." She gave him a look of disbelief; is he really about to send her out _alone?_

"But sir-" She protested, but was cut off.

"You will do as you're ordered!" His rough voice echoed and bounced off the walls, making her snap her mouth shut. Clutching her fist, she looked behind her where the man, _Flashy _was kneeled, being forced to look up by his hair. His expression was calm, making her confused. He was just sentenced to death, and not a single reaction. Grinding her teeth together, she stomped over and grabbed the ends of the rope and pulled him in a standing position before tugging him towards the exit to start moving. Patting her thigh to make sure she has her blade, she kicked the doors open and pulled him out.

"This is ridiculous." She hissed, picking up her pace as they made their way through the plants and trees, soon the building going out of view.

"I don't see anything wrong with it. Nature is good to be around." The man smiled as he walked backwards behind her. "Besides, it's not like you can kill me." He said, suddenly a little serious. Kushina titled her head and gave him a corner glance, wonder what her meant. He shrugged, halted them both in their steps a moment later. Kushina launched forward towards him, seeing he was pulling his hands loose.

"You're not gonna-"

"Let me show you what I mean." His voice was flat with no emotion and before she could catch it, he was gone, leaving only the ropes in his place. Kushina slowly picked her knife out and looked around, trying to find where he went. There's probably some truth in what he said she notes. He wiped out countless men right before her with only a flick of his wrist. But God knows she'll put up a fight. Feeling the cool feeling of a blade against her throat, she stiffened, "Then you're dead.." He murmured in her ear. When did he..? She can't give up now. Holding her knife in a white knuckled grip, she whirled around to strike him, but he disappeared again.

As her eyes scanned the area, her thoughts were pulled to her boss. She knows what he would do to her if she comes back and she didn't kill this man; she'll loose her life herself. But something was holding her back, almost against her will. It's not the first time; Kushina has always been a softy when it comes to taking lives. She has done so before, but only because it was the right thing to do. But is killing this man the right thing to do? Does he have a family back home? Perhaps a child or a wife? A huge lump formed in her throat, unable to swallow it. Biting her lip, she straightened up and bowed her head as she held her knife out in front of her.

And dropped it.

"I can't do it.." She whispered, looking up as the man walked towards her, a look of question in his eyes.

"Do what?" He asked, eyeing the knife on the ground between them.

"I can't do it! I can't kill you, ya know!" She yelled at him, balling her hands in fist as she did so, "Just go! Go home to your family and never.." Fear suddenly filled her emotions like a bowl, about to overflow. She's going to be executed no doubt. Something was telling her to run and not turn back, but something else was telling her to face it.

"Are you _really_ a soldier?" The man asked, furrowing his brows towards her, "How did you get in the field if you can't kill a single man?" He asked, decreasing the distance between them with quick steps, "Are you really a Cloud Solider?" He asked again, gripping her shoulders, "You don't look like one."

Kushina frowned as bowed her head lower to block her expression with her hair, a little more fear washing in. "..Because I'm not." When she was a little girl, she was abducted from her family and brought here. She was raised here, but she's not from here. All these years she's kept the thought close to her. The thought and knowledge that she's not from here. And knowing that she can never escape and go back hurts. The man lifted one of her hands up and placed a rope in her palm, the rope that held him just earlier, "What are you- I told you to go!" She yelled, gripping it in her hand.

Then she caught on to what he was doing. As he held out his wrist towards her, she stepped forward and began tying them. Only this time they won't be behind his back. Is this man crazy? What is he planning?

* * *

"Is tying me to a tree going to help at all?" The man groaned as she tightened the ropes around him and the knot around the tree.

"Yes, yes it does." Kushina sighed, examining her work. She wrapped it around him a good a good six times. "Doesn't look like you're going anywhere." He snorted, slumping down the much he could against the bark.

"Since I'm tied to tree, where you are going to be?" He asked, raising a golden brow. Kushina placed her hands on her hips and kicked the dirt before falling in a sitting position, "Okay." Later that night, Kushina got a fire going to warm up as the nights temperature dropped. She still doesn't know his name. Looking up, she noticed he must have gone to sleep because he stopped banging his head against the wood. The fire was dimming and she was starting to feel a bit bad that he's way over there while she's here with the warmth. Standing to her feet, she kicked some sand to kill the fire and walked over to him and took a seat. Crossing her legs and arms, she scooted closer to him but not to where they were touching.

She glared at his posture from the corner of her eye, "Hey, Flashy.." She whispered, flinging away when he looked up, "Yo- You're awake?!" She yelled, trying to calm her heart rate down. "How long have you been awake?"

"This whole time. Can't exactly sleep when you're tied to a tree." He chuckled. Kushina eyed the ropes for a moment before slipping her fingers between them to- "No, don't do that. Really, what kind of soldier are you?" He asked, blowing air hrhand to make her release it since he can't do anything else.

"I wasn't going to untie you, ya know! It was a lot of work to get you to stay still and tie you." Kushina said. "What kind of soldier are you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'm a Konoha Soldier." At this, her eyes widen. Cloud is at war with Konoha as they speak. What was he thinking attacking them head on his own. Why does he seem so comfortable with her? Shooting to her feet, she gave him a slight angry look.

"What is wrong with you?! Our countries are at war and you come by yourself and attack us?" She yelled, ignoring his calm expression, "You could've been killed easily! Also, why did you save me? Your enemy! You dropped your guard and I could've killed you!" Why does she care?

"But you didn't. And you won't." He stated. Kushina glared hard at him, getting a bit irritated. Jumping forward to hit him, a root of the tree tripped her, making her fling into his lap. Flashy yelped, surprised by the suddenness. Well, that was unexpected. Kushina leaned back and rubbed her nose that implanted in his chest, not noticing that she's still straddling his hips.

Grabbing a fistful of his vest, she reeled him forward to where they were almost nose to nose, "You are a dumb man! You know that?!" She yelled, looking him in the eye. Getting over his shock, he relaxed and sighed, a smile tugging it's way to his lips, confusing Kushina more.

"Yeah. I'm a dumb man." He mumbled. Kushina's anger dropped like an anchor and her hold on his clothing loosened. Though, she remained sitting in his lap with their eyes locked and nothing but the moon as their light. Looking into his eyes, she feels like there's no escape; like he's the only this she sees right now. "And perhaps you're a dumb woman. One who can't even kill someone who killed her people? Why is that?" He murmured.

Kushina shifted off him and slid next to him, "I just can't." With that, the rest of the night was silent. She eventually fell asleep, leaving the man as the only one awake. He stared at her for a moment before looking away, smile on his face.

"Dumb indeed."

* * *

Kushina ringed her hair out as she stepped out of the lake, having just bathed. She took the opportunity since Flashy was asleep when she woke up. Slipping her undergarments on behind the bush, she picked up her pants and slipped them on. Buckling them around her hips, she clipped her belt and knife pouch around her waist. That's when she noticed the wide eyes that were locked on her, the eyes that belonged to a man that was supposed to be asleep. Kushina froze; face turning a red close to the shade of her hair. How much did he see? How long has he been awake? It must have been a while since his face is close to the color of hers at the moment.

"Y- You-.. How long..? How much did you-?" Kushina sputtered, arms slowly crossing over her exposed chest to keep it from his view. "G- Go away!" She screamed.

"I tied to a tree! Where am I gonna go?!" He yelled back, turning his head in the other direction, "Warn a man when you decide to undress and bath when he's in the area!"

"You were sleeping, ya know!" Kushina yelled, quickly throwing on the rest of her clothing.

"Yeah, but when someone's asleep, they eventually wake up!" Then he was suddenly gone, making the ropes around the tree fall limply to the ground. Kushina paused as she slipped the last of her clothing on. She gritted her teeth and ran over to where he just was, pulling her knife out. How did he _do_ that? Whirling around, her knife clashing into another, taking her by slight surprised. Both of them glared at each other, but he was close to over powering her. Kushina ducked down and went to kick him, but he jumped back.

She took notice of the shape of his knife he was holding, having three blades instead if one. That's an advantage he has against her, but she won't let it bug her. His body movements flickered as he came at her, making her slide back as their weapons met once again. "What's gotten into you?" She grunted, looking at his expression. Even with the glare, he still looks calm.

"We're gonna see something." He said, pressing more strength in to slide her back more, "If I win, you're coming back to Konoha with me." Kushina's eyes widen, loosing concentration on the task at hand. Barely ducking away from him, she stumbled away behind him, the look of surprise still clouding her eyes.

"Go back with you? Are you _crazy?_" She asked, "I can't do that! I'm a-" Her sentence was cut off when he flashed towards her, clashing their knifes hard enough to make her fall back. And before she knew it, he had the sleeves of her shirt on her wrist pinned down by blades with another on her throat, him kneeling above her.

"You're coming with me. I'm not leaving without you." He said, leaning forward, making their noses brush, "You're coming, weither you like it or not."

"Or you can kill me here." She mumbled, making his eyes widen, "If you just kill me, we'll both be free." Honestly, she'd rather have him do it than the execution she'd have to face back at the base. It scared her just thinking about it. First she'll be tortured, making her wish she was dead before they did so. Being so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't feel the warm liquid that rolled down the side of her face, "Just kill me.." She whimpered.

He gripped the handle of his knife, pressing it harder to her skin, "Did you not catch what I just said?" He said, throwing the knife to the side of them, "I'm not going back without you."

Kushina shook her head, "You do not understand. If I leave with you, they'll find me.. I'm their prisoner; their toy. I will never escape."

"Yes you will." He said, grabbing the sides of her face, "You'll be free. You'll have a home. You won't be a tool or a toy; you'll be your own person. Come back to Konoha with me, and I'll make sure you never come back." Kushina stared blankly at him as he unpinned her wrist and picked her up in his arms. Her arm fell limp and tangled beside her, her knife thumping to the ground. There were many things she wanted to say, many things she wanted to ask.

"Who are you..? What's your name?" She asked, looking up to him as he tightened his hold on her figure as he leaped to the tree branches.

He smiled, "Let's just focus on getting you home. Then we'll talk names later."

_Home?_

* * *

_Throw it away, forget yesterday. We'll make the great escape. We won't hear a word they say, they don't know us anyway. Watch it burn. Let it die. Cause we are finally free tonight._


End file.
